Homefront by Doris Gwaltney

The book starts out rather casually with the main character, Margaret Ann, complaining about her lack of personal space. The reader finds out early that she's forced, due to a lack of room, to sleep with her grandmother, who claims that she doesn't, but snores. She has four siblings, Elizabeth and Johnny, the elders, and the younger twins, Paige and Polly, who she can't tell apart. Elizabeth, at the time, is just getting ready to leave home for college, and Margaret Ann wastes no time in claiming her room, and moving in once Elizabeth leaves, though she misses her sister. However, eventually her problems grow larger than her sister's absence. England is fighting a war, and her aunt and cousin- who she's never met before- come to stay with them while her uncle fights. She grow to seriously dislike Courtney, who at first appears rather snobbish, constantly complains about small injuries, and ends up with everything Margaret Ann thinks she should have for herself. Eventually, though, as Margaret's bother goes to join the Navy, and her uncle becomes 'missing in action', Margaret grows to understand Courtney's pain, and over a period of thim, they become wonderful friends.

Although the writing style was something I scarcely see, it was a refreshing read. I had my doubts at first- I've never bothered looking into the particular genre, and I wondered about gory details. However, it was far more interesting than I imagined, and the way that Margaret is so utterly human, compared to her fairy-queen of a cousin was almost amusing at first. I often wondered about life in that time for the families of soldiers off fighting, and it's very clear in explanation, and tends to get to the point. Margaret's family description is wonderful, and although I can't relate to her, I absolutely loved it.

Content: Although this isn't something I'd personally condemn as inappropriate, there is some talk of body size in... various places. However, I doubt that many would be affected by it.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mahomet, Illinois United States of America

The Jaguar Stones: Middleworld by Jon adn Pamela Voelk

Max Murphy is a fourteen year old boy that just wants to be in his Boston home playing video games and eating pizza. His parents are archaeologists that are absolutely obsessed with the ancient Maya. When they go to a sacred pyramid, the Temple of Ix Chel, they suddenly disappear. Max is sent to his uncle Ted's house in Central America for an unknown reason. Max learns that his uncle's banana business has to deal with a lot more than just bananas. He is smuggling ancient Maya artifacts. There are five Jaguar Stones that are sacred stones of Middleworld, the Mayan name for the world of men, that can give humans powers of living gods, and Ted had two of them. Suddenly, everything turns even worse, because a Spanish aristocrat wants to kill Max. Max runs into the jungle one night because someone was trying to steal a Jaguar Stone and he meets a modern Maya girl named Lola. She knows her way through the rainforests of San Xavier and will help him resue his parents and save the world from the evil Lords of Death. Even with the Jaguar Stones, can they do it?

The Jaguar Stones: Middleworld was a simply awesome read. It took a while to read because of the length, but it was definitely worth it. The characters had amazing personalities that were very realistic and well thought out. Because of the wonderful description of setting, I was able to view the whole book like a movie while reading it. The ending of the story leaves you hanging and wanting more right away! This book is so different than any book I've read because of all the Maya information put into it. I definitely look forward to reading the next two books in the series!

Content: There is some human sacrifice mentionings and minor violence.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America

School of Fortunre by Amanda Brown and Janice Weber

School of Fortune is the classic tale of a spoiled Texas Heiress, but somehow this story is different. Pippa is getting married! When her mother catches wind of the proposal, she already has the phone and check book out. But when Pippa realizes her husband-to-be isn’t what she thought he was, she flees, getting herself disinherited and disowned. Pippa soon finds out that to get a piece of the family fortune is to get a degree. Soon a spoiled, riches to rags girl finds herself in wacky schools of all kind (including clown school), messed up hairdos, and a bad relationship with an elephant. She soon finds things are looking up for her, maybe even a little romance mixed in.

It was a ton of fun reading about this Texas heiress and her adventures. During the beginning I thought this book would be the tale of girl loses money, falls in love and then gets rich again. Wrong. School of Fortune was a fabulous whirlwind of schools, weddings, and drinks. I especially loved the ending that was like the classic tale with a twist. It was a truly fantastic story.

Content: It had some sexual content and some inappropriate language.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Minooka, IL United States

A Summer To Die by Lois Lowry

Meg and Molly are teenage sisters, and as typical sisters they have many disagreements. Then to make matters worse they move to a small house in the country where they have to share a room. Then Molly got sick. Meg thinks that is some kind of flu and she will get better, and with all the extra attention Meg starts to feel jealous. But Molly does not get better and she keeps getting more irritable. Meg eventually learns that Molly will not get better. Meg decides that she needs to show Molly how she really feels before it’s too late.

This is an excellent book. It is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It was very interesting and kept my attention the whole way through. At the end of each chapter I couldn't wait to get to the next. This book made me feel like Molly was my sister and I was dealing with all the trouble, it made me feel the hurt after Molly had died. My favorite character was Will Banks. He had a great personality and was very caring to everyone. Then ending to it was very strong and meaningful. I think the theme of this book is that: simply by loving and appreciating life are able to allow death.

Content: This is a very good book yet I think it is more suitable for young adult readers because of some adult situations. It has a lot of content of death but it iis presented in a gentle good way.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA

Anything But Ordinary by Valerie Hobbs

Winifred and Bernie have been friends for four years. They are the kind of people who never want to be ordinary, always going above and beyond what is expected. One day, Bernie's mom dies, and his whole life now means nothing. Winifred has high expectations, and if Bernie doesn't fit in with them, then oh well. She leaves for college over in California, and Bernie realizes he must get her back, He leaves for California immediately.

Anything but Ordinary was a delightful book with many surprises. It was unconventional in parts, but it did show emotion throughout the whole book. The plot wasn't the best. It didn't always make sense, but it made sense in the end. Hobbs' characters were extraordinary. They were multi-faceted and did things actual teenagers would do. The beginning and middle of the book were pretty slow, but it picked up as it went along. The way the viewpoint of the book switched around was confusing. It went from person to person and you didn't always realize the viewpoint changed.

It talks about sex.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Shippensburg, USA

The Silverskin Legacy: Onaj's Horn by Jo Whittemore

In this book, Megan and Ainsley, two teenagers from Earth, are transported to another world, the world of Arylon. Before they can return to Earth, they have to stop Evren from taking over all of Arylon. Unfortunately for them, Evren has the power to control people's minds. Megan and Brighton, a thief who has been cursed into the form of a ferret, are the only two characters who can resist the mind control. The three of them run around trying to undermine Evren. When they reach the unicorns to try to get their help, one of Evren's minions show up, and they end up having to escape from the unicorn's glade by means of a portal that Ainsley creates. They then go to the port where Evren has set up his head quarters. Megan is kidnapped by one of Evren's minions, who is planning to sell her in Obonia. When they get to Obonia, she escapes with the help of her friends. Unfortunately, Ainsley is captured for being rude to the chieftaness, and Megan must challenge her for his freedom. She succeeds, and the head back to port to kick Evren's butt. When they get there, they have Obonian warriors to help them defeat Evren. They get to Evren's HQ, they go inside and Ainsley is turned against Megan by Evren. She turns him back, gets Onaj's Horn, the item Evren is using to control people, and destroys it, therefore freeing everyone Evren was controlling.

I couldn't put this book down, that's how much I loved it! My favorite Character was Brighton, because he was lovable and mischievous. The ending rocked because it was really happy and left plenty of room for a sequel. This book was really good compared to other books like it that I read, because I didn't get confused at all. This book taught me that if you don't give up, you're more likely to succeed. The vocabulary in this book was very age appropriate. The author included a proper amount of detail throughout the book. The author answered all of my questions by the end of the book. This story couldn't be improved if the author tried.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10

Reviewer Age: 15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Highland, Michigan USA

Beyond the Gap by Harry Turtledove

Count Hamnet Thyssen would much rather be safe home in his castle in Raumsdalia than away in the northern Bizogot country. However, when Emperor Sigvat II summons him and orders the count to go north beyond the glacier that has always been the northern border of the world. According to a jarl of the Bizogots, Trasamund, a gap has opened to the other side, allowing them to travel beyond the glacier. Along with Ulric Skakki, a man who, though not always the most trustworthy off the field of battle, you would always want right by your side on it, Eyvind Torfinn, an earl of the empire, and the husband of Hamnet's ex-wife, and Audun Gilli, a mage found drunk in the sewers, the count and jarl set off to explore beyond the edge of the world. However, much to the count's dismay, during one stay in a serai, similar to an inn, Gudrid, Hamnet's ex-wife, joins the group along with a small group of imperial guards led by Jesper Fletti. Throughout the whole trip, she causes trouble by bedding many of the Bizogot jarls, including Trasamund. After passing through the empire's northern border, the group stops at many of the Bizogot nomad tribes' camps. Each one welcomes them like family, and the group learns more about the Bizogot way of life then they might have liked. Before continuing through the glacier, the group stops at Trasamund's tribe, the Three Tusk Clan's camp. There, a Bizogot shaman, similar to a Raumsdalian mage, joins them. Her name is Liv, and enchants the count with her beauty. Then, the group sets off through the gap, and make it through the glacier within the short summer. On the other side, they encounter many new animals, but not what they came looking for, the Golden Shrine, said to be where god is closest to man. In this frozen wasteland, they encounter a group of fierce nomads who call themselves the Rulers. They ride mammoths, and believe they're above everyone else. What worries Hamnet and others, is that they might have a reason to believe this. However, Eyvind Torfinn manages to talk their way out of being killed, and they are set free. However, one of the Rulers' sorcerers wasn't fooled, and tried to track them. The group makes its way back through the gap, and it's winter by now. The snow and wind is terrible. However, Count Hamnet is happier than he has been in a long time. He and Liv had fallen in love. Hamnet convinced her to ride south back to the empire with him. Along the way, the group attempts to convince the other Bizogot tribes that the rulers are a threat, but they refuse to acknowledge it. Even Emperor Sigvat II wouldn't acknowledge this threat. Frustrated, Count Hamnet rides back north with Trasamund, Liv, Ulric, and Audun to do his best to stop the Rulers. On the way, a messenger arrives from the emperor, ordering him to return to Nidaros, the capital. He tells the courier he refuses, and left it at that. The group arrives in the Three Tusk Clan's grazing land to find out that the Rulers had already arrived, and had killed most of the nomads. However, they joined up with a herd of musk-ox and tricked the Rulers. Many of the remaining Bizogots died, but the Rulers were forced to retreat. Now, the group plans on riding south to convince the other tribes to join them now that they have physical proof.

Beyond the Gap, by Harry Turtledove, is like no book I've ever read. The characters are all unique, and their small squabbles make the story far more interesting. Gudrid's affections with many characters adds for a minor conflict present throughout the entire book. I stayed up late reading, and had to force myself to put it down. The action, once it started, was non-stop. The relationships with real things, such as real animals and drinks, helped make it seem more real than it really was. This is probably the best book I have ever read.

Content: Sexual Content Drug References

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10

Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, PA United States

Our Own Sylvia by Stephanie Hemphill

What better way to write about a poet than to use poems? That is exactly what Stephanie Hemphill does in her response to Sylvia Plath’s work. Using voices of Sylvia’s husband, Ted Hughes, her friend, Anne Saxton, and her teacher, Robert Lowell, Hemphill writes poems to and about Sylvia. Her welcoming images invite young readers to share her connection with the poet who captured her attention in high school.

This is a terrific book for students and teachers interested in poetry, especially personal or confessional poetry. Multiple voices encourage writers to explore how different people may see the same event. Hemphill developed the book, “by taking a line from a Plath poem and journaling in poetry – writing out my thought and feelings starting with one of her images or ideas.” (page 247) What a creative way to help young writers respond actively to poems. I recommend this book for the home and middle and high school libraries.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer City, State and Country: Timonium, MD US

The Traitors' Gate by Avi

Avi’s new book The Traitors’ Gate is a very compelling read. Avi uses many adjectives and describes each character with detail and brings each plot to life in your mind. Because of the immense detail the book is harder to read, and takes patience. But your patience will pay off as the plot goes on, and all the story’s loose ends come together and are explained. The book follows a very likable boy whose situation is grave, as everyone in his family depends on him, and their fate rests in his young hands. The story takes you on a journey, through the busy streets of England into the poorest slums, but it also takes you on the boy’s journey within himself. It is also a bit of a mystery, and all in all, makes for a good read.

The book starts with a prologue that describes a scene that will only make sense to you later in the story. Then the true story starts with an in-depth look into John Huffman’s everyday life, which already is tough on him. Things only get worse for the 14-year-old and things only get more confusing. With so many new characters being introduced each chapter, it is easy to get a little lost. But, towards the end of the book events begin to make sense. Connections are made, identities are exposed, and the best chapters of the book begin toward the conclusion of the story. The story is recounted by John, and so is written in first person. This style works for the book’s plot as it gives us a chance to see what John thinks of such a muddle. I enjoyed the book and think its hint of mystery makes it more interesting. Certain plot twists clear mysteries up, while others are surprising. I think Avi creates solid, likable characters and gives them personality. Each of his characters has a certain persona that can be matched to your own life, like a mean teacher, an unlikable relative, an annoying acquaintance, or a care-free friend. The ending felt a bit incomplete and the final quote from the traitor a bit confusing, but in the very last two pages, Avi sums it up nicely. I would recommend this book. When you get to the good stuff, it’s hard to put down.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: South Pasadena, California USA

Competition's A Witch by Kelly McClymer

After being moved from her perfect, mortal life in CA, Pru finds herself in Salem, surrounded by witches. Her mother sends her to a Agatha's, a private school just for witches, so that Pru can learn magic. Unfortunately, things just don't work out that easily for her. She gets landed in remdial magic, which embarasses her as her younger brother is already an expert in all things magical. She makes the cheerleading team, but her teammates don't seem to like her very much. And she just doesn't seem to have any luck with guys, mortal or magical. Pru needs to get her priorities straight, and with a little motivation, her life takes a turn for the better.

While this book was entertaining, it is more appealing to younger readers than older ones. The choice of words chosen didn't really appeal to me, such as the word "kewl". The main character, Pru, was an interesting character to follow. I didn't read the prequel, but I felt like I understood enough of what was going on in the story. Overall, the story itself was fun to read and I would probably pick up another book by the Kelly McClymer if I happened to come across one.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age: 20
Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, PA USA